Tiny Vessels
by Last Haven
Summary: Based on the song, Tiny Vessels by Death Cab for Cutie. Malchior during the time as he tried to trick Raven into releasing him. Goes with my other story but STANDS ALONE.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans nor the song Tiny Vessels by Death Cab for Cutie.**

**We've all speculated on Malchior's thoughts behind his actions during Spellbound, but so few have ever come flat out and told the story from his perspective. Hopefully I can try and catch his perspective correctly.**

**Warnings: A reference or two to my story Clans of the Dragons.(check my pen name for story) You don't have to read it to understand but his past is alluded to in here.**

---------------

Malchior smiled from behind his paper trappings as Raven peeked over the top of one of her books to catch of him wandering about the room, trying to help to prepare for his coming resurrection from the accursed book that held sway over him still. She caught the mirth in his eyes, giggled with a blush, and stuck her nose back into the book. Despite showing her how to sap the knowledge straight out of the books, she still preferred to read certain sections to better commit it to memory.

_She's just a girl. A silly, pretty, little girl._ he thought with a trace of bitterness as he continued to watch her as she read. _She's so very young._ Perhaps about the same age as his sister had once been before she married and exited his life for ever. His gaze harden for a moment then he shook it off, grateful Raven had been too distracted with her book to see his countenance at the thought of his sister.

No matter. Soon he would be free from the book and then he'd enact his revenge on her and this world. He just wished he knew whether or not Rorek was still around somewhere so he could get vengeance on him as well for trapping him in his own diary. Such a painful treachery had Rorek done to him that he could scarcely breathe at the thought. He had felt justified when he had changed the story in the book to one of fancy and made Rorek into the villain that Malchior thought he was.

_This is the moment that you know_

_that you told her that you love her but you don't._

_You touched her skin and then you think_

_that she is beautiful, but she don't mean a thing to me._

_Yeah, she is beautiful, but she don't mean a thing to me._

The writing he had made in the book was a trap of his that had taken a few centuries of patience to carefully craft. He had needed a tempting story that would incite the weak minded(or more importantly, the weak hearted) into trying to help to free him. Raven was an opportunity to perfect to pass up. She had all the things needed to successfully release him; she was powerful, she was well stocked in potions and knowledge. She was lonely. That merely cinched the deal.

As she had begun to read the book, one of many in her collection that she had happened upon and had decided to read on a whim, he had taken his time to delicately construct a picture of her in his latter pages. He had stuck it further in back to keep it from her sight. Malchior had been minorly shocked at the rate she devoured the book and was mildly proud of the work he had down in creating the false tale. While she read, he had had to hurry to finish the picture but he was relieved when he finished just in time to introduce himself and show off his little work of art.

_I spent two weeks in Silverlake,_

_the California sun cascading down my face._

He had gotten bored at times when she put aside the book, so he had admired his own portrait of her. _ It was a good likeness_, he thought. _One of my best, really_. He had created the other pictures in the book but he was really proud of that one in particular. Malchior was even prouder when he got a blush out of her for it when he showed her.

Ah, she still had needed to be molded a little to make a perfect vessel. Her unease and loneliness had made it so easy to change her to what he need her to be: powerful but dependant.

Malchior was tempted to spare her, to save her the sorrow of a betrayal. She was a good, kind soul and she did soothe him quite a bit. He wouldn't have minded a new friend in the world he was about to return to. He casted another glance at her as she read, tucking a lock behind her ear carelessly, and suddenly his memory superimposed an image overlapping it. His saw his sister, younger and more innocent than later, reading one of his books and he felt his gut freeze.

_There was a girl with light brown streaks,_

_and she was beautiful, but she didn't mean a thing to me._

No. He would do what needed to be done, emotions be damned.

Perhaps she would one day realize he had done her a favor. This would be a harsh lesson to learn but it would make her stronger for it. Stronger than he at least when he had had to watch his sister walk away to her new home and husband with barely a glance back to her brother.

_Yeah, she was beautiful, but she didn't mean a thing to me._

"Raven." he called to her as she finished the book, placing it to the side. "How about we give that spell a test run, if your done?"

She looked up, blushing becomingly. "I'm not sure how'll good it will be..."

"Nonsense. I'll be right here to coach you through it." he told, smiling behind his wrappings. She looked up hopefully, relieved to have him by her side.

It was terrifying to see so much of himself in someone else.

"Well...as long as you'll help me..." she smiled then clasped her hands in front of her. Slowly, a green orb began to shine above her, green lighting danced about it. He raised a brow. _Well, she certainly has gotten a hold of this quick, hasn't she?_

"That's it. Calm yourself; it will come to you." he said, walking over to her, placing his hand on his chin as he studied the orb. "And let the energy flow through your entire body. Feel your thoughts giving it power and form...Good, Raven! You've..." Suddenly, the orb burst, catching his head on green fire. _Oh dear, that was unexpected._ "...almost got it."

Raven gasped and reached out, forcefully patting out the fire feeding on the top of his head. Her face fell as she checked for damage, then she blushed when she realized he was fine and she was leaning close, almost entirely against him. Then she turned about, but he caught the smile on her lips.

Poor, dear little bird. She was setting herself up for quite a painful fall.

---

_I wanted to believe in all the words I was speaking_

_as we moved together in the dark._

_And all the friends that I was telling all the playful misspellings_

_and every bite I made that left a mark._

---

Malchior smirked to himself as she set aside the books in one pile to another as she picked up that spell book again; she was progressing so fast with such complex spells-one could hardly blame him as he smirked and beamed with pride as she skimmed the text once more before she would try the spell again. Getting up, he walked over to her as she readied the spell.

Clasping her hands once more, the green magic swirled before her once more, forming an orb with dancing green lighting.

He was very proud of his little bird.

Really, in hindsight, this was a very bad feeling to feel as they moved closer to his resurrection. The deception would be ending soon and then at the end...he would stop all the lies that were choking him and then he would deal a final blow before he secured this world as his own. Yes, as proud as Malchior was of his little Raven, he had made an oath to rule this world and nothing was to keep him from it.

Not his Raven nor his feelings.

_Then tiny vessels oozed into your neck_

_and formed the bruises that you said you didn't want to fade._

He watched as the magic disappeared out the room and heard and saw the magic crackling in the sky line, dancing upon the water. He was so very proud of his Raven. For now, he would allow himself to be proud as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and stroked her hair to let her _know _his pride of her. Yes, he was so very proud of his Raven.

Then again, maybe it was him how was setting himself up for quite a painful fall.

_But they did and so did I that day._

---

_All I see are dark grey clouds in the distance_

_moving closer with every hour._

_So when you'd asked_

_"Is something wrong?"_

_I'd think, "You're damn right there is,_

_but we can't talk about now!_

_"No, we can't talk about now."_

---

Malchior looked down at the book, his prison for so long. Time was moving fast, in fact, it seemed to be hurtling at him too fast to be relieving. He felt anxious and slightly sick. His lies would finally pay off and then ...freedom...

And then, as if she had sensed his pain and unease, Raven herself burst through her door. He blinked and turned to her in surprise. She had left to go with her team into the city-at least, that's what he had thought as he heard an alarm echoing through the tower-and now she was back, face full of rage. He was mildly surprised at her; never before had she casted such a look at him.

It was kinda cute, in a bizarre, masochistic way.

"It's dark magic! You've been teaching me dark magic!" she snapped at him. _Oh dear, is that what was going on?_ He'd have to fix this quick or he'd never be free.

_So one last touch and then you'll go_

_and we'll pretend it meant so much more than what it was._

"Is it dark, or simply misunderstood, ...like you?" he asked her. She shut her mouth, looking unsure so he pressed on. "True, the spells I've taught you are very powerful. There are those who fear power, so they call it dark. But for people like us..." He trailed off and took her hand, leading her to the book once more. She clutched at his hand, as if willing herself to believe in him and his words. He continued try to win her back entirely to his cause. "...such distinctions do not exist. Without these spells, we can never truly be together. Enchanted pages or no, I'm still trapped in a book-and you're still alone. Is that what you want, Raven? To be alone?"

Like puddy in his hands, she gave into him as she fought back tears. "No."

Sighing to himself, he wiped away her tears. So near to the end and still he hated the thought of her tears. Still, what needed to be done had to be done, and she would only try to stop him on his path to conquest. At the sight of her tears, a small part that was still so very mortal wondered if he couldn't spare her. Maybe not from the pain of betrayal but perhaps he could allow her to live, as long as she didn't try to stop him of course.

Of course.

_But it was vile_

_and it was cheap_

_and you are beautiful but you don't mean a thing to me._

"My sweet Raven...it's time."

Yes, he'd get what he wanted and then...

---

_Yeah, you are beautiful but you don't mean a thing to me._


End file.
